


Have you read Hegel?

by cigarettesandalcohol



Category: Political RPF - Canadian 21st c., Political RPF - France 21st c.
Genre: Alternate Universe - Library, M/M, librarian Angela, librarian Justin, student Emmanuel
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-07-02
Updated: 2017-07-02
Packaged: 2018-11-22 09:22:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,689
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11377275
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cigarettesandalcohol/pseuds/cigarettesandalcohol
Summary: Justin Trudeau works in a library.Angela Merkel is his co-worker.Emmanuel Macron studies philosophy at Nanterre University.Intensive reading, studying and discussing Hegel leads to a certain romance.





	Have you read Hegel?

**Author's Note:**

> Hello again! ;)  
> Thanks everyone for constant support - here and on instagram (macrontrudeauship) <3 I love you all. 
> 
> This is the first chapter of a longer Macdeau story - Library AU. I'm not sure how long this story will be or how many chapters it will contain...and hopefully I will finish it :D

“What’s that, Justin? Is your boyfriend here again?”

These were the first words Angela had for her younger colleague after she entered the room.

“What – no! He’s not my boyfriend!” Justin shook his head in frustration. “Stop calling him that,” he added quietly, careful not to ruin the peaceful atmosphere of the library.

Angela went to the counter and with a brief glance, she checked the library cards lying there. “Oh, but he’s actually here,” she said, pointing at one of them.

Justin rolled his eyes. “ _Yes, he’s here_.”

“I knew that. You look so happy; I noticed that right at the door.” She walked around the counter and laid her handbag on the top of it. “Where is he now?”

“Who?”

“Guess who – your...” She caught Justin’s deadly look. _“...friend_.”

“He’s not my friend. He’s a customer.” He couldn’t keep his face straight anymore. “Oh God, have you seen him in that shirt and tie?”

Angela laughed. “Is he in the study room again?”

“He’s been there for an hour or so.”

“Woah, calm down, stalker.”

Justin sighed. “It’s not my fault that he looks so good and I remember what he wears and what he reads and...his library card number...”

“You really should just talk to him and invite him somewhere...”

“How? _Hello, do you need any help? Another book about Hegel’s philosophy? Oh, and by the way, will you go for a dinner with me?_ That won’t work.”

“No, not like that. Jesus, you need to go the smooth way. Approach him and...just be everything that he likes.”

The doors opened and another customer walked in.

“Good afternoon,” Angela smiled at the old lady that walked with her cane towards the counter. “What can we do for you, madam?”

“I – I have a small problem – I think I’ve lost my card and now I can’t borrow any book...”

“Don’t worry, madam, here, my colleague will take care of it – Justin? I’ll be in the study room.”

His face turned red and he had to clear his throat before speaking to the old lady. “Alright, ehm... Are you sure that the card is lost? I can make you a new one, it’s not a problem. It won’t take long. Can you tell me your name, please?”

 

 

 When Angela returned from the study room she had a mysterious smile on her face. Justin was leaning on the counter, tapping his fingers nervously on its top. “So?” he asked in a hopeful voice.

“So what?”

“Is he still there?”

“Of course he is. How would he get out when you’re like like his guard?”

“He looks so good, right? – in that shirt and blue tie. But he has that kind of baby face that makes him look fifteen.”

“He’s twenty-two and blue is his favorite color,” Angela answered nonchalantly and grabbed the electric kettle from the sideboard behind their counter. “I’ll put some water to boil, okay?”

He just stared at her. “How do you know this?”

“We had a nice small talk.”

“You didn’t tell him anything about me, did you?”

“You bet I did.” She rubbed his back sympathetically. “Nah, just joking. Don’t worry; I’ll leave this part to you. I just complimented his tie and then we talked a bit.”

“Tell me everything.”

“Not now. I’ll go make us some tea.” She smiled reassuringly and lightly elbowed him. “Look who’s here.”

Justin turned his head to see the subject of all his thoughts in the past hour – this 22 years old man with his boyish face – coming from the study room with his hands full of visibly heavy books.

“Do you need any help?” Justin couldn’t stop himself from asking. The boy seemed too fragile to be carrying such weight – the pile of books was high enough to reach his neck and he secured it by pressing his chin on top of it.

“It’s okay.” The boy laid his books down on the counter with a sigh of relief. “I left my briefcase there – “ he waved towards the study room. “I’ll go get it.”

Justin caught himself staring at his back too fondly.

Damn, why is he like this? And damn – this boy looks good from every view.

He snapped out of his vivid imagination when he realized that the boy has returned, this time with a leather shoulder suitcase, and that he’s saying something.

“...Emmanuel Macron. Umh... _Macron_. That card – it’s mine.”

Justin finally managed to take his eyes off of the curve of Emmanuel’s lips. “I’m sorry.” He laughed nervously and tried to push the thought of the boy’s lips out of his mind. “So – are you taking all these books?”

“Yes.”

“That’s...quite impressive.” He looked at the cover of the book on the top. _Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel, Science of Logic_. “You read a lot of Hegel, don’t you?”

Emmanuel raised his eyebrows confusedly.

“I mean – I remember you borrowed some of his books last time as well.”

“I’m writing an essay on him and his views in the context of his contemporaries and in the context of 20th century philosophy.”

Justin took a while to respond. _Say something, for God’s sake, say something great and impressive and intelligent_ – “Hegel - that means the 19th century, right?”

He could sense the scornful amusement of that perfect little bastard in front of him. “Well,...you’re right. He was born in 1770 and died in 1831.”

Justin kept his smile on but this time remained silent, cursing himself for not being able to say anything meaningul and interesting. The silence in the room was so deep that he could hear the remote footsteps of the other few visitors of the library and the sound of scanning book barcodes into the computer.

“Here you go,” he shifted the pile of now checked out books toward Emmanuel. “Are you sure you don’t need help with that?”

“Nah, I’m fine. Thanks. By the way – if you want to read something on Hegel, I think the best book to start with is the one by Frederick Beiser.”

“I’ll look at it. See you soon.”

 

 

Angela came back just a few seconds after Emmanuel Macron disappeared behind the door, and she found her colleague with head in his hands. “What has happened?” she asked, pitting the electric kettle back on its place and turning it on.

Justin lifted his head. “ _Thank you very much_ for leaving me with him alone,” he said sarcastically.

“I though that’s what you want. Sorry. Did you...not enjoy it?”

“I made a fool of myself!”

“How come?”

“I don’t even know... He was standing right here, you know, to check his books out, and I mentioned Hegel, that philosopher... It was a mistake because I don’t know anything about philosophy and so when he started to talka about it, all I could say was _Hegel – that’s the 19th century, right?_ I don’t remember anything about Hegel, for fuck’s sake, the last I heard of him was in school...”

“Well, that guy studies philosophy, so it’s no surprise he knows a lot about Hegel.”

“What – great! _Great_ that you’re telling me this _now_. What else do you know?”

“We didn’t really talk much... I noticed this – he’s very organised. Have you ever seen him taking notes from books? He’s got all those post-it papers and black notebooks with elegants pens... Listen, he studies philosophy at the Nanterre University. That’s all I know. And we also talked about clothes; that’s when he told me he loves the blue colour and classical elegant style, shirts with ties and suits... That’s what we talked about.”

“Still better than Hegel.”

“Don’t be sad about it. Nothing much happened, righ? When he comes back next month, he won’t even remember you had this conversation.”

Justin smirked. “That’s not positive either.”

“Hey, do you want to know what I think? Adopt his style. Be like his mirror. He’s presumably self-confident and proud of what he does – learn from him!”

“But how? I’m not this straight-A’s student with bright future anymore...”

“You can start with your appearence. He said he likes suits and ties because it adds a lot of confidence and respect... Maybe if you change your jeans and sweater for a nice dark pants and white shirt, he’ll be pleasantely surprised next time he comes.”

“Do you really think so?”

“He’s obviously obsessed with looking neat and elegant. Have you ever seen him in baggy jeans and hoodie?”

“No,” he had to admit.

“He even said that, he literally said – _I love how a clean shirt and tie can earn so much respect_.”

“Alright then.” Justin felt his excitement growing – could this be a start of something new and big?

“You might also need to shave every day. I have nothing against your lovely stubble but...if you want to look like a model from a suit advert; you need to keep your face clean and smooth.”

“Could this actually work?”

“Of course. And  you’d look great in anything.”

“Anything else?”

“If you really want to impress him, read what he reads and then you can start a conversation about whichever subject you choose – and you can be sure he’s interested in it as well. That’s all. Pretty simple, huh?”

“I don’t even know if he’s into guys...”

“He talked to me about how every man looks better in a suit. Why would a straight guy say this?”

“I can tell that you look good in this dress you’re wearing and it still doesn’t make me hetero.”

“Justin, you will never get anywhere if you’re this sceptical. Just try it and you’ll see. I guarantee that this little schoolboy’s jaw will drop if he sees you in a shirt and tight suit pants – remember that Christmas party last year where you wore that grey suit? All the girls were talking about it, and they were all willing to drop on their knees in front of you. It can’t be much different with guys, don’t you think?”

He shrugged his shoulders and his lips curved into a shy smile. “I hope so.”

“Right. Now – do you want some tea?”


End file.
